Steaming pressing iron



Jan. 23, 1940. F. A MILLER STEAHING PRESSING IRON Filed July 22, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w MM A 3 0 a F Y a 5 a.

Jan. 23,1940. F. A. MILLER 2,188,011

'swnume rnsssme non Filed July 22, 1937 2 Shets-Sheet 2 will :Qlllw /A/l/EA/TOE: FEED n. Mane,-

Patented Jan. 23, I940 PATENT OFFICE 2,138,011 STEAMING rimssmo IRON Fred A. Miller, St. Johns, Mo., assignor to Roland M. Klemme, St. Louis, Mo.

Application July 22, 1937, Serial No. 154,948

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to pressing irons, and more specifically to an improved pressing iron of the type adapted to discharge steam at or adjacent to the pressing face of the iron,

for the purpose of dampening articles being pressed, thepredominant object of the invention being to provide an iron of the general construction and arrangement of the pressingiron v disclosed in an application for United States Letters Patent filed in my name on May '14, 1937, Serial No. 142,532, which includes improved means for controlling the discharge of steam at the pressing face of the iron.

The improved pressing iron disclosed in my previous application for patent includes a valve located within the iron which serves, through manual manipulation thereof, to regulate and control the discharge of steam at the pressing face of the iron. This valve is disposed in the steam line that leads from the water reservoir, wherein the steam is produced, to a discharge orifice at the pressing face of the iron, and discharge of steam at the discharge face of the iron is regulated in this earlier iron bycontrolling 26 passage of steam as it passes through the steamline. The pressing iron disclosed in my earlier application for patent functions perfectly, but to reduce the manufacturing cost of the iron I have developed the pressing iron disclosed herein,

:0 which follows very closely the construction and arrangement of the pressing iron of my previous application, but does not include a valve for controlling the steam as it passes through the steam line.

'5 Instead of providing the improved iron disclosed herein with the steam-controlling .valve arrangement of my earlier application for patent, I provide the present improvement with an extremely simple valve structurewhich is operable o to by-pass steam from the water reservoir of the iron directly to the exterior of the'iron when no discharge of steam is desired at the pressing face of the iron. By .so by-passing the steam it has been discovered that no steam will pass through 5 the relatively long steam line to thepressing face of the iron, but instead the released steam will follow the shorter, more directroute to the exterior of the iron. The result of this is that discharge of steam at the pressing face of the iron is interrupted whenever the steam by-pa'ssing' valve is opened, and discharge of steam at the.

pressing face of the iron is resumed and continues whenthe steam by-passing valve is closed. Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved pressing a iron, a portion of the handle of the iron being 'brokenaway to revealparts of the structure of the iron which otherwise would be hidden.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the iron taken on the staggered line 22 of Fig. l.

' Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the iron witrh a 5 portion broken away to show parts of the iron in section.

.Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevationshowing the steam by-passingvalve mechanism in a changed position from that shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical section illustrating the steam by-passing valve mechanism taken on the staggered line 55 of- Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section on line 6- -6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on line 1-1 of Fig. 5. I

Fig. 8 is an inverted plan view of theelectrical heating element of the improved iron.

Fig. 9 is an elevation of one of the water splashers of the improved iron.

In the drawings, where is shown for the purpose of illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention, A designates the improved iron generally. The iron A includes a base portion. which is in the form of a plate I, said plate being of the conventional shape, as shown in Fig. 1, and being of substantial thickness, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The base plate I, adjacent to the forward end thereof, is provided with a substantial- 1y triangular-shaped recess 2, the divergent sides of said recess being slightly'curved in conformity with the shape of the base plate, and the walls of said recess at the divergent sides and at I the rear end thereof being preferably inclined slightly from the true vertical, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

Disposed in the recess 2 of the base plate is a plate 3 which is of less width and length than the recess, so that a substantially V-shaped space 4. is provided between the corresponding divergent walls of the recess "'2 and plate 3, the divergent walls of the plate 3 beingv disposed in parallelism with respect to the corresponding divergent walls of the recess. The rear wall of the plate 3 contacts with the rear wall of the recess, as shrown to the best advantage in Fig. 2, and said plate 3 ,is secured to thebase plate I and in position in the recess 2 by rivets 3 or other suitable fastening devices. The plate 3 is cut away at the forward portion of its upper face so as to provide a triangular-shaped space 5 between the top of the forward portion ,of said plate and the forward portion of the top wall of the recess, which tria ar-shaped space communicates with the V- sh ped space 4.

' Mounted on the base plate I of the iron A is the body portion of the iron, which is made up of a hollow intermediate member 6 and a top member 1 (Fig. 2). The intermediate member 8 is secured to the base plate I by a plurality of suitable fastening devices 8, one of which is shown in Fig. 3, and the top member l is secured to the upper portion of the intermediate member by fastening devices 9. Also, to provide a fluid-tight joint between the lower face of the top member I and the upper face of the intermediate member 6, a suitable gasket II is interposed between these faces. Formed centrally and extended longitudinally in the lower wall of the intermediate member 6 is a. narrow channel l2 (Figs. 2 and 3), which is open at the bottom face of said lower wall of the intermediate member, said channel at the forward end of the intermediate portion being of increased height, as indicated at l2 in Fig. 2. At the rear of the'intermediate member a channel l2 is formed in the rear wall thereof which is arranged in angular extension with respect to the channel |2 at the bottom of said intermediate member. The hollow interior of the intermediate member 6 provides the water reservoir and steam-generating chamber l3 of the improved iron, the top member I serving as a closure element for the reservoir at the top thereof.

The top member 1 includes an upwardly .extended element M (Fig. 6) which provides a water inlet through which water is introduced into the water reservoir l3, said element |4 having a water passageway l4 formed therethrough which is screw-threaded so as to receive the,

screw-threaded portion of a cap IS. The cap I5 is provided with an upwardly extended fin l5 to facilitate rotating the cap.

. The top member I is provided also with a plurality of upwardly projected extensions I! which aid in securing a handle I8 to the body portion of the iron. The handle l8 includes a substantially U-shaped supporting portion l9, which supports a grip formed of wood or other material possessing low heat-conductivity. Interposed between the lower, horizontal portion of the U-shaped supporting portion of the handle i8 and the top faces of the extensions I! are portions of the top wall of a shell 2|. The top wall of said shell is provided with openings which register with screw-threaded openings formed in the extensions i1, and screws 22 which secure the handle -I 8 to the body portion of the iron extend through the openings of thetop wall of the shell and into the screw-threaded openings of the extension, said screws passing also through openings formed through the lower horizontal portion of the U-shaped supporting portion of the handle I8.

The body portion of the shell' 2| corresponds in shape with the body portion of the iron, and said shell embraces said body portion of the iron. Also, the lower edge portion of the shell is extended loosely in a channel 25 formed in the top face of the base plate of the iron. Due to this floating arrangement of the lower portion of the shell, no difiiculties arise because of contraction and expansion of the base plate and shell in response to varying temperatures, as would be the case if the lower portion of the shell were securely anchored to the base plate. Additionally, the upper portion of the shell 2| is provided with an opening 26 through which the water inlet element l4 extends.

Formed in the forward portion of the top member 1 is a screw-threaded-opening 21 which receives the screw-threaded portion of an angular fitting 28. The lower end portion extends into the water reservoir I 3, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the passageway formed through the fitting communicateswith said water reservoir, and at the opposite end of the fitting a suitable coupling 29 is provided which couples a tube 30 to the fitting. The fitting 28, as shown to best advantage in Fig. 1, is offset transversely with respect to the transverse center of the iron, and the tube 20 extends rearwardly of the iron from said fitting in interposed relation with respect to the top wall of the shell 2| and the top memher I, as shown in Fig. 2. Adjacent to the rear of the iron the tube 30 is provided with a bend 30', which brings the rear portion of the tube to the transverse center of the iron, and said tube extends downwardly through the channel l2 at the rear of the iron and forwardly through the channel 12 at the bottom of the iron. At its forward end the tube is curved upwardly, as indicated at 30 in Fig. 2, and extends downwardly in on opening 2| formed in the base plate i. This arrangement results in the fortriangular space 5 and the V-shaped space 4 at the forward end of the base plate of the iron.

Arranged in a recess 32' formed in the base plate of the iron at the upper face thereof is an electrical heating element which includes a resistance wire 33 suitably arranged and interposed between layers of mica 34. The layers of mica with the resistance wire therebetween are interposed between a pair of sheets of metal 35, andthese sheets of metal are spot welded or otherwise secured together at points designated by the reference character 35'. in Fig. 8 to secure said sheets of metal together and produce a unitary heating element, the layers of mica and the resistance wire being relieved at the welding points. The resistance wire of the heating element is secured to suitable terminals 36, which are attached to an extension 31 forming a part of the intermediate member 6 of the iron, as shown in Fig. 2, and these terminals have associated therewith a suitable guard 38 that is 0 attached to the shell 2|. In addition to serving as means for maintaining the heating element in its assembled condition, the sheetsof metal 35 act as heat distributors. Also, if desired, a layer of asbestos 39 or, if preferred, a plurality of such layers of asbestos, may be interposed between the base plate of the iron and the bottom of the intermediate member 6, so as to regulate transmission of heat from the heating element to the body portion of the iron. As shown in Fig. 2, the marginal edge portion of the layer of asbestos 39 is interposed between the top face of the base plate of the iron and the bottom marginal ,edge of the intermediate member 6.

Formed on the top member I and extended upwardly therefrom is a boss '40 having an upwardly projected extension 4|. The boss 40 is provided with a steam passageway 42 which is open at the bottom, and the boss is provided with a valve seat 43 at the lower end of the steam passageway 42, as shown to the best advantage in Fig. 5. Associated with the boss 4|) is a valve 44, which includes a valve head 44 and a stem, 44 said stem being mounted for vertical movement in an opening 45 formed in ward end of the tube 30 communicating with the the valve 44 is a coil spring 46 which encircles the top wall of the extension 4| of the boss, and said valve head being movable into and out of contact with the valve seat 43. Associated with the stem 44 and is interposed between the top face of the extension 4| of the boss and a disk 41 associated with the valve stem, said disk being forced by said coil spring into contact with seated against the valve seat 43. The boss 40 has formed therein a pair of alined openings 49, which are open at their outer ends at the outer face of the boss and communicate at their inner ends with the stea'mpassageway' 42 within the boss.

Mounted on the forward, upright portion of the handle support I9 is a valve-operating means 50, which includes a member mounted for rotary movement on a headed pin 52 which projects outwardly from said forward, upright portion of the handle support l9, said pin being secured to the handle support by a nut 53 associated with a reduced, screw-threaded end portion of the pin. The member 5| is provided with an arcuate flange 54 having a face- 55 which is eccentrically arranged with respect to the axis of the pin 52, and the upper face of the valve stem 44 is forced into contact with said eccentric face by the coil spring 46. Also, the member 5| has fixed thereto an operating arm 56 through manipulation of which the member 5| may be rotated about the-pin 52. In order to limit movement of the member 5| in one direction, a stop pin 51 is provided which extends outwardly from the handle support l9, the arm 56 being adapted to move into engagement with the stop pin when the limit of movement of the member 5| in one direction is reached. Also, in order to designate the limit of movement of the member 5| in the opposite direction,-"the flange 54 of said member is provided with a notch 58 into which the upper end portion of the valve,

These partitions stop short of the top of the reservoir so that steam generated within the reservoir may move freely through the entire 11}:-

per portion of the reservoir. Also, the partitions are provided with openings 59 so that water may pass from one compartment to another. The partitions are .held in place by spring pressure,

the partitions being introduced into the reservoir in a bent condition, as shown by full lines in Fig. 9, and thereafter being permitted to straighten out to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 9 where their opposite side edges will frictionally engage the opposite walls of the-reservoir and thereby anchor the partitions in place. To prevent water from splashing into the open lower end of the fitting 28, a curved sheet 60 is provided, as shown in Fig. 2. The opposite side edges of the sheet 69 contact with the opposite walls of the reservoir, and the forward edge of saidsheet contacts with the forward wall of said reservoir. The sheet is supported by the forwardmost partition 59, said shown). source of electrical energy, the heating element sheet 60 being provided with tongues Fl which are struck from said sheet and are bent downwardlyinto gripping engagement with the upper portion of said forwardmost partition.

In the use of the improved pressing iron disclosed herein, a body of water W is introduced into the water reservoir |3 of the iron through the water inlet element l4, and the electrical heating element is connected to a source of electrical energy by a suitable extension cord (not With the iron so connected to a will heat the water in the reservoir and produce steam therein, and said steam will pass upwardly into the lower, open end of the fitting 28 and will move through the tube 30 and be discharged from the iron through the V-shaped space at the pressing face of the iron.

If, in the use of the improved pressing iron, steam" is being discharged from the iron at the pressing face thereof and it is desired to tern porarily cut off such steam discharge,'the valveseat, steam within the reservoir l3 will not move through the rather long path through the tube 30 to the pressing face of the iron, but instead said steam will by-pass into the steam passageway 42 and will move through the transverse openings 49 and be discharged from the outer ends of said openings into the space between the top member I- and the top wall of the shell 2|. The steam so discharged from the openings 49 escapes, from the space between the top member I and the top wall of the shell'Zl through apertures 62 formed through a side wall of the shell2| at a point adjacent to'the top of the shell, said apertures being located at the side of the iron which is located away from an operator of the iron. Instead of entirely cutting off the discharge of steam at'the pressing face of the iron, it may be desired to merely diminish such steam discharge, and this'mayb'e accomplished by opening the valve 44 to the proper degree,when some steam will be discharged from the openings 49 and the-desired amount of steam of the iron is dry, liquid-free steam. Also, the, curved portion 30* of the tube 30 serves to trap any liquid which should flnd its way to the forward steam discharge end of the tube 30.

It is obvious, of course, that the electrical heating element of the iron, in addition-to serving as the means for producing steam from" water inthe reservoir, .acts also to heat the base of the iron in the manner common to electrically heated pressing irons. Also, it is plain that the space between the top wall of the shell 2| and the upper portion of the body portion of the iron serves to insulate 5 the handle of the iron from the heat given oil by said body portion of the iron, the heat which moves into this space being discharged through the apertures 62 so as to deflect said heat from the handle.

I claim:

1. A steaming and pressing iron including a base having a steam-discharging aperture, a hollow body portion providing a reservoir adapted to receive a body of water, a shell embracing a portion of said body portion in such manner that a space is provided between the top of said body portion and the top wall of said shell, heating means for producing steam from said body 01' water within said reservoir, a steam-conducting pipe for conducting steam from said reservoir to the steam-discharging aperture of said base, a portion of said steam-conducting pipe being disposed in the space between the top oi said body portion and the top wall of said shell, and the remainder of said steam-conducting pipe being enclosed within other portions of the iron structure, a steam by-pass leading from said reservoir to said space between the top of the body portion and the top wall or said shell, and valve means for controlling passage of steam through said steam by-pass. I

2. A steaming and pressing iron including a base having a steam-discharging aperture, a hollow body portion providing a reservoir adapted to receive a body of water, a shell embracing a portion of said body portion in spaced relation with 10 respect thereto, heating means for producing steam from said body of water within said reservoir. a steam-conducting pipe for conducting steam from said reservoir to the steam-disharging aperture of said base,'said steam-conducting 16 pipe being in communication with said reservoir and being interposed throughout a portion of its length between said body portion andsaid shell, a steam by-pass leading from. said reservoir to.the space between the top of said body portion and the top wall of said shell, and valve means for controlling passage of steam through said steam by-pass, said shell being apertured to provide for escape of steam from the space between the top of said body portion and the top wall of said shell. 25

FRED A. MILLER. 

